Delhi | PTI | Agencies | 23-07-2012 | updated on 26-07-2012 :: Ethnic violence between Indigenous Bodo Tribals and Illegal Bangladeshi Immigrants today escalated in more areas of western Assam with 11 fresh casualties in clashes and police firing, forcing the Centre to rush 1,500 more paramilitary personnel to control the unrest that has claimed 40 lives so far.

The violence has spread in and around the Kokrajhar district all the way to the Bengal border, reported CNN IBN.

The Centre had rushed nearly 1,400 paramilitary personnel earlier to Assam to assist local administration in bringing back peace in violence-hit Bodoland Territorial Administered Districts (BTAD) as the ethic clashes have now spread to 8,000 sq km areas.

The forces have been sent in addition to 9,000 paramilitary personnel already deployed in the north-eastern state to maintain law and order there, official sources said.

The Prime Minister spoke to Gogoi and took stock of the situation. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Minister P Chidamabaram also called up the chief minister.

Shoot-at-sight order was issued today and indefinite curfew clamped in entire Kokrajhar, where the toll in the ethnic violence mounted to 40.

The death toll in the ongoing ethnic clash between Bodo and Bengali speaking Muslims in the Bodo heartland inKokrajhar district since Friday, rose to 40 subsequently as additional central paramilitary forces from different parts of the country are on their way to the troubled area.

Over 50, 000 people belonging to both the communities have been affected in the spate of violence so far. The population of Bodos, the largest tribal group among the 23 notified scheduled tribes, is just over five per cent of the total population of the state while Muslims constitute nearly 33 per cent.

Located at the western end of Assam and bordering West Bengal on its west and Bhutan on north, Kokrajhar district is the cauldron of simmering communal mistrust leading to hatred in Assam’s western territory that is boiling again.

Four ethnic clashes in 60 years involving the Bodos, the first human race in this part of the country, Bengali speaking Muslims (mainly from Bangladesh) and Adivasis have all been borne out of mistrust among the communities.

Concerned over the violence, Home Minister P Chidambaram called up Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who briefed him about the latest developments and the steps taken by the state government to bring back normalcy in the troubled areas.

Home Ministry officials, including Union Home Secretary R K Singh, are in regular touch with the state government officials and offered all possible help to defuse the situation.

Sources said Assam government officials informed the Home Ministry that the violence has spread to 400 villages located in 8,000 sq km areas.

Fresh clashes and arson were reported from the Bodoland Territorial Administered Districts (BTAD) where two more bodies were recovered taking the toll to 40 in the ethic violence.

The bodies were recovered from the banks of Gouranga river on Monday morning, police said.

People stopped the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express at Pratapkhat between Kokrajhar and Gossaigaon on Monday last alleging that their houses were damaged by miscreants when they moved to relief camps, IGP (BTAD) SN Singh told PTI.

According to official sources, the violence started after gunmen attacked two student leaders in Magurbari Thursday. Following this, four former Bodo militants were shot dead Friday.

An abandoned hostel of Bodo students was set ablaze at Bidyapara in Dhubri district with the fire brigade initially being prevented access before police intervened.

Police fired in the air when bandh supporters tried to forcibly close down shops in Golokgunj and Gauripur towns of Dhubri during a 12-hour bandh called by the All Assam Minority Students’ Union to protest attacks on the minorities in BTAD districts, SP Pradip Saloi said. Seven person were injured in the clashes on Monday.

It may be mentioned that the AAMSU president has hinted out the hand of Bodo militant in the Gossaigaon killing incident. So by framing Rajbongshi youths as the killer of the minority people, the BTC administration and police is trying to hide the truth, Ahmed alleged. He also directly blamed Tarun Gogoi and BTC chief Hagrama Mahilary for all sortsof atrocities meted out to non- Bodo people in BTC.

Erstwhile, the AAMSU president also announced their agitational programme and sit- in-demonstration in front of Raj Bhavan on July 16. He also demanded immediate transfer of Kokrajhar SP and DC besides the arrest of the culprits, adequate compensation to the victim’s family and protection to non-Bodo people living in BTC.

The student leader also criticised Minister Chandan Brahma for simply announcing ex-gratia to the victim’s family.

It may be mentioned that one person died on the spot and another three were injured in the firing incident that took place on Friday evening in Gossaigaon area under Kokrajhar district.

Meanwhile, the two minority student organisations namely All Assam Minority Students’Union (AAMSU) and All BTAD Minority Students’ Union (ABMSU) after visiting the spot at Gossaigaon on Saturday said that if culprits are not nabbed a massive agitation will be intensified statewide.

Assam Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Nazrul Islam reached Kokrajhar and appealed to people to maintain peace and calm and not heed rumours.

Assam Transport Minister Chandan Brahma had on Saturday announced Rs.3 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of the dead and Rs.50,000 to those injured in the violence.

Kokrajhar falls under the jurisdiction of BTAD which is dministered by Bodoland Territorial Council. the council came into existence after the signing of a tripartite peace accord among Bodo Liberation Tigers militants, the Assam government and the Central government in February 2003.

Courtesy: The Hindu | IBN Live | TOI | First Post.

Illegal Bangladeshi Infiltrators and the Bangladeshi Muslims are the main cause of Assam Riots. Will Assam be separated from India by the subversive Muslim elements? Oust all Bangladeshi Muslims from India. Retaliate.

Ashwinisaid

Hindus,hindu parties,&organisations must support internaly or openly and try to make situation for win .In assam situation is worse and hindu must consentrate their attention more.Assam is ready to go for paying zizya.presen central govt are on knee paying zizya & namaaz both?

Hindus should retaliate with physically, economically, mentally, socially for the sake of our society intrests &try to punish foreign infiltrators by law or by saw.Bureau of immigration &law of immigration prevents illegal immigrations.we should demand informations by RTI from each district SP,who is FRO(foreigners registration officer ) by law.we should report to admin or courts.

A S L Dsaid

How many more piece of land shall be separated from Indian? You crazy asshole Indian government, don’t you look into this, rather than other shitty political crap? At least send some help!!
Do not spare these Satan-of-a-God praying bastards. Kill them all, and burn them even after death, and even after that, and so on…!

HMTsaid

Why is that everytime any problem arise the muslim community and their leader support themseves openly.but see the hindus leader they only try to win the heart of the muslims for vote.Hindus are also humanbeing.my question is :What will you do if someone occupy your house and push you out?migrants hve occupied our place and now they r in position to become majority,and rule the host who came here as a guest.a guest who dosent know when to leave untill force to.

Hem Raj Jainsaid

The gory on-going riots in Bodo areas of Kokrajhar, Baska, Chirang, Dhubri, Bongaigaon etc. of the Indian State of Assam is now turning out to be locals vs migrant settlers issue (which has been causing riots earlier also in North-East India) and in which presently over forty have already lost the lives and hundreds of thousands have been displaced including 3 Lakhs in camps.

The Bodos / Assamese feel they are losing the demographic advantage due to the influx of `illegal’ settlers and might soon turn a minority in their own land. Because Bodos / Assamese think that so far, no political party has applied itself to tackling the issue of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh therefore the Bodos and the people of Assam should immediately move the High Court / Supreme Court as given below:-

(1)- First and foremost the Bodos / Assames should not compromise on illegal immigrants issue. While State and Union Governments are doing their best to control these riots and to maintain law and order in the State and in this exercise the Bodos / Assames should fully co-operate with these Governments, but at the same time the High Court / Supreme Court should be immediately moved by Bodos / Assames against illegal immigrants from Bangladesh through PIL.

(2)- There are other States too in India which are suffering from the problem of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Therefore it will go a long way in solving the problem of illegal immigrants in Assam if (after filing this PIL) these other effected States are also mobilized by Bodos / Assames to move their High Courts and Supreme Court against illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

(3)- In these petitions the Courts should be prayed to identify, track and deport these illegal immigrants. For this Courts should also be prayed to direct the Government of India to ask Bangladesh to take these millions of illegal immigrants back.